Glad I found your channel.Binge watched. As a retired Pipeline Welder I can only admire your work we never criticize another welders bead because there was a X-ray truck behind us that could send us home. Its always easer if you're not doing the actual work . Looking great
That is a refreshing take! I’m glad the X-ray isn’t coming to check this one. Just trying to make every weld a little better than the last one. Thanks for watching!
I'd be leery of using that Advantech sheathing on a trailer like that. Its intended to be used as interior subflooring not exterior use. The bottom of a trailer is going to see lots of water and not much air to dry it. The panels may not swell, but the exposed bits of wood will eventually rot. Its also not as strong as plywood, especially around the edges. I would have considered either exterior plywood coated in resin, or something like they use in boats called Nida-Core, with a fiberglass panel laminated over top with attached with poly resin. The Nida Core would provide both structure and insulation, and the fiberglass would provide durability for a lifetime. In reality, the wood with resin would likely out live you I did my boat floor that way in 1982 and its still good as new today. Plywood would give the best strength overall. I'd also maybe considered just using metal or modifying the body attachment so that it can directly attach to steel, with a floor that isn't sandwiched in between. I also would have likely converted the wheels to something modern, original is nice but hard to locate in a pinch. A set of 6 lug steel wheels on studs with some baby moon hubcaps wouldn't look out of place at all that. Since the frame is all new, I'd have also considered going with torsion axles for simplicity. I realize they too have some drawbacks but they ride fantastic and if mounted properly are stronger than sprung axles. They're also much easier to replace if something happens.
I may be on the wrong track, but a lot of enclosed trailers have exposed wood floors with no issues. I just sold a 12 year old enclosed trailer that was like that and the plywood was in perfect condition. I still may spray foam the bottom with closed cell foam, which is waterproof.
There's two issues with the wooden floor, one is that its exposed to the weather from underneath like that, and second, if you enclose it, it can't dry out. If you use something that can't rot, neither is an issue.. I bought an Argosy a few years back that had a ton of rot in the floor edges, most of the rot was from the outside on and around the cutouts where the plumbing and tanks were. At first my thinking was that since the original wood lasted 50+ years, just about anything I did would likely outlast me, but just the same, the cost of plywood, and the fact that treated plywood is now more corrosive than it was back then, the only wood choice was 3/4" exterior grade plywood. I looked into a few PVC options then but was told its not structural. What I ended up doing was to take foam board and made a sandwich with aluminum. Then I insulated the aluminum from direct contact with the frame with rubber strips. Basically I used a top and bottom layer of .040" aluminum, with 3/4" foam board in between, with 3/4" PVC placed inbetween the layers around the edges where the body bolted down. It came out great, I used smooth aluminum on the bottom, and diamond plate on top. I didn't cover the floor since i was building it as a work and storage trailer. All the huge heater and plumbing cutouts were eliminated and modern units were installed. It was more expensive than just doing wood and likely overkill but its forever. I used the trailer for a few years and sold it in favor of an enclosed car trailer which just had more room, but the all metal Argosy will no doubt never suffer rot, even if it were to stay wet all the time. Part of my decision to use aluminum was because I had half the metal on hand already from a former project and the fact that the Argosy was an all aluminum body to start with. I think if I were doing a Holiday Rambler I'd likely go with fiberglass over foam or Nida Core but cost could be a factor and if metal was cheaper, I'd still go that way. On boats, when plywood is used, its generally encapsulated in poly resin and fiberglass, but most newer boats have gone away from wood because of rot. Just about every used trailer I've seen that has water issues either has rotten wood due to a leak or a leak due to rotten wood and either leads to structural and floor issues. Two other options I'd also look into would be Glass Reinforced Plastic and EKO Ply, and I've read good things about both but have never used either of them myself.
I’ve had a bunch of trailers with exposed wood underneath and have seen them last decades so I’m hoping I’m good. A place I bought an enclosed trailer from actually told me a story of someone who undercoated theirs and the wood swelled up and failed without a year. I still may put closed cell spray foam under here too, which would seal it up.
tell me exactly what drum u look for. i will look too. you once said a 12" drum , something ive never seen on these small trailers. but what i know would fit under a very small hat
@@bakermakesit depending on your comfort level , u can run the wheel like that. the broken tabs offer no structure and have no responsibility in attaching the wheel to the hub. i would most energetically recommend studs in place of those stupid german style bolts. pinched fingers , cuts and irritability changing one of those roadside is your only reward for keeping the bolt style
Honestly I haven’t worked with enough to be an expert but in construction I have found the polyurethane ones to be the stickiest so I opted for that. I figured something is better than nothing.
dude... the frame is gorgeous. very nice
Thanks!
Glad I found your channel.Binge watched. As a retired Pipeline Welder I can only admire your work we never criticize another welders bead because there was a X-ray truck behind us that could send us home. Its always easer if you're not doing the actual work . Looking great
That is a refreshing take! I’m glad the X-ray isn’t coming to check this one. Just trying to make every weld a little better than the last one. Thanks for watching!
Outstanding work brother !!!
Thank you!
I'd be leery of using that Advantech sheathing on a trailer like that. Its intended to be used as interior subflooring not exterior use. The bottom of a trailer is going to see lots of water and not much air to dry it. The panels may not swell, but the exposed bits of wood will eventually rot. Its also not as strong as plywood, especially around the edges.
I would have considered either exterior plywood coated in resin, or something like they use in boats called Nida-Core, with a fiberglass panel laminated over top with attached with poly resin.
The Nida Core would provide both structure and insulation, and the fiberglass would provide durability for a lifetime.
In reality, the wood with resin would likely out live you I did my boat floor that way in 1982 and its still good as new today. Plywood would give the best strength overall.
I'd also maybe considered just using metal or modifying the body attachment so that it can directly attach to steel, with a floor that isn't sandwiched in between.
I also would have likely converted the wheels to something modern, original is nice but hard to locate in a pinch. A set of 6 lug steel wheels on studs with some baby moon hubcaps wouldn't look out of place at all that.
Since the frame is all new, I'd have also considered going with torsion axles for simplicity. I realize they too have some drawbacks but they ride fantastic and if mounted properly are stronger than sprung axles. They're also much easier to replace if something happens.
I may be on the wrong track, but a lot of enclosed trailers have exposed wood floors with no issues. I just sold a 12 year old enclosed trailer that was like that and the plywood was in perfect condition. I still may spray foam the bottom with closed cell foam, which is waterproof.
ua-cam.com/video/xZ9wy-8_rPc/v-deo.htmlsi=cWt9JPRCBKKpBqVo
There's two issues with the wooden floor, one is that its exposed to the weather from underneath like that, and second, if you enclose it, it can't dry out. If you use something that can't rot, neither is an issue..
I bought an Argosy a few years back that had a ton of rot in the floor edges, most of the rot was from the outside on and around the cutouts where the plumbing and tanks were. At first my thinking was that since the original wood lasted 50+ years, just about anything I did would likely outlast me, but just the same, the cost of plywood, and the fact that treated plywood is now more corrosive than it was back then, the only wood choice was 3/4" exterior grade plywood. I looked into a few PVC options then but was told its not structural.
What I ended up doing was to take foam board and made a sandwich with aluminum. Then I insulated the aluminum from direct contact with the frame with rubber strips. Basically I used a top and bottom layer of .040" aluminum, with 3/4" foam board in between, with 3/4" PVC placed inbetween the layers around the edges where the body bolted down. It came out great, I used smooth aluminum on the bottom, and diamond plate on top. I didn't cover the floor since i was building it as a work and storage trailer. All the huge heater and plumbing cutouts were eliminated and modern units were installed. It was more expensive than just doing wood and likely overkill but its forever. I used the trailer for a few years and sold it in favor of an enclosed car trailer which just had more room, but the all metal Argosy will no doubt never suffer rot, even if it were to stay wet all the time. Part of my decision to use aluminum was because I had half the metal on hand already from a former project and the fact that the Argosy was an all aluminum body to start with.
I think if I were doing a Holiday Rambler I'd likely go with fiberglass over foam or Nida Core but cost could be a factor and if metal was cheaper, I'd still go that way.
On boats, when plywood is used, its generally encapsulated in poly resin and fiberglass, but most newer boats have gone away from wood because of rot.
Just about every used trailer I've seen that has water issues either has rotten wood due to a leak or a leak due to rotten wood and either leads to structural and floor issues.
Two other options I'd also look into would be Glass Reinforced Plastic and EKO Ply, and I've read good things about both but have never used either of them myself.
If I get 50 years I’ll be happy 😀. Your sandwich idea sounds great but cost and time made this the best option for me. We will see how it holds up!
My only questions would be why didn't you paint the underside or seal it in some way while you can?
I’ve had a bunch of trailers with exposed wood underneath and have seen them last decades so I’m hoping I’m good. A place I bought an enclosed trailer from actually told me a story of someone who undercoated theirs and the wood swelled up and failed without a year. I still may put closed cell spray foam under here too, which would seal it up.
ua-cam.com/video/xZ9wy-8_rPc/v-deo.htmlsi=cWt9JPRCBKKpBqVo
tell me exactly what drum u look for. i will look too. you once said a 12" drum , something ive never seen on these small trailers. but what i know would fit under a very small hat
Hey, thanks! It’s a 12” Dayton drum with the 4 lug Dexstar pattern.
@@bakermakesit depending on your comfort level , u can run the wheel like that.
the broken tabs offer no structure and have no responsibility in attaching the wheel to the hub.
i would most energetically recommend studs in place of those stupid german style bolts. pinched fingers , cuts and irritability changing one of those roadside is your only reward for keeping the bolt style
talk a bit about adhesives there are so many on the market. what you chose and why
Honestly I haven’t worked with enough to be an expert but in construction I have found the polyurethane ones to be the stickiest so I opted for that. I figured something is better than nothing.